1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an apparatus for improving the swing of a player utilizing a sports bat, club or racquet.
2. Prior Art
Being successful in any sport requires concentration, muscle development and xe2x80x9cfollow-throughxe2x80x9d, particularly in those sports utilizing a bat, club, or a racquet. xe2x80x9cFollow-throughxe2x80x9d may be defined as completing the swing of that bat, club or racquet through an arc from an initial start position, then around and into the strike zone, and thereafter maintaining that swing until the player""s arm has been fully extended. The necessity for such follow-through is often a requirement for directing the ball or puck in the direction in which the player has intended and for providing the power to drive the ball or puck with maximum force. Such follow-through, though, is a difficult lesson to learn and to remember. Muscle memory would ensure that such follow through would take place if the player could in fact develop such a muscle memory capability.
The sports of baseball, golf, tennis, and hockey all require an arcuate and full swing of a bat, club, or racquet. Other body motion other than movement of the arm is also required. It is thus significant to instill in the player, a muscle memory so that such follow through becomes automatic.
There exists no arrangement or apparatus to instill upon the player, the reminder that the follow-through be undertaken each time, except for a coach or personal trainer who must otherwise be present during practice or playing and remind that player each time a swing is undertaken.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus which will provide a sport player with the follow-through skills necessary which are not taught by the prior art.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a sport skill training device which does not require assistance to operate.
It is still yet a further object of the present invention to provide a training apparatus which is adaptable to a number of sports so that its use may be appreciated by a number of different players.
It is a still yet further object of the present invention to provide a sport training apparatus which is stepwise adaptable to the improving skill level of the particular player or user of that apparatus.
The present invention comprises a moveably supported swing trainer apparatus for instructing a player of baseball, tennis, hockey, or golf in lessons of following through with the swing of their bat, racket, club, or stick. The swing trainer apparatus in its most general form, comprises a rectilinearly shaped frame arrangement defining a periphery of the swing trainer apparatus. A plurality of removable support rods are arranged across the frame in a parallel and spaced apart manner, so as to be supported therein in generally horizontally. The removable support rods each have an end portion which is matable with an opening spaced apart from one another around the frame.
A plurality of elongated web-like members, each of which may be comprised of for example, plastic straps, leather strips, heavy canvas, rope or the like, are attached at an upper end thereof, to the support rods. The elongated webs are preferably about two to three feet in length, and an inch to two inches wide. The elongated webs may also be draped over the removable sport rods in an inverted xe2x80x9cUxe2x80x9d shape orientation.
The plurality of support rods are disposed in the frame structure in a parallel and spaced-apart manner. Those elongated webs are disposed on each support rod preferably spaced slightly apart from one another as they extend across portions of the frame. Each support rod is spaced apart from its adjacent support rod and may have different types of web supported therefrom going from one support rod to an adjacent support rod.
In facing the swing trainer apparatus, the down-hanging webs provide a generally rectangular area defining a xe2x80x9csweet spotxe2x80x9d, into which the bat, racquet, stick, or club is to be swung. In an initial use of the swing trainer apparatus by a beginner level player, it is contemplated that only one or two parallel support rods would be carrying or supporting any down-hanging or elongated webs. The sport player, in use of the swing trainer apparatus, swings thereat and follows through with the swing to make sure that by the swing, he/she makes sure that each successive adjacent row of downwardly supported webs are all passed through or brushed by the club, bat, racquet, or stick with a strong and equal force. The webs hanging down from the swing trainer apparatus will make a sound as they are struck, and they will move and swing in response to being struck, thus providing both a visual and an audible indicator to the player that all successive webs have been hit. Swing practice in this manner provides the xe2x80x9cmuscle memoryxe2x80x9d to the player. As the player advances in his or her skills, additional successive rows of downwardly hanging elongated webs may be supported on adjacent support rods extending across the frame. When those webs are struck by the swing of the player, they provide a resistance through an arcuate path of the player""s swing of the club, racquet, bat, or stick. Thus the enhancement to the musculature of the player and the muscle memory to affect a full swing and follow through in an automatic fashion.
In a general embodiment of the present invention, the front panel of the down-hanging webs have a sweet spot or mid-portion which is in line with the likely preferred swing of the club, bat, racquet, or stick. It is to be noted that such a swing trainer apparatus may be supported from a ceiling, tree, rafter, pole, or the like in a stationary manner and in a limited space.
In a further embodiment of the present invention, the swing trainer apparatus may be supported by its support lines from an overhead support apparatus. The overhead support apparatus may in one instance comprise for example, an elongated swivel arm having a distalmost end from which the swing trainer apparatus may be suspended. An attachment cable may extend from a ring at the high end of the support line and be connected to the distal end of the swivel arm. The swivel arm may be arranged on a support column which is swingable about an arc back and forth so as to swing toward and/or away from the player, and may be moveable in an upwardly or a downwardly direction by a vertical actuator mechanism arranged between the support column and the swivel arm. Such a motion may be controlled by a random drive computer within the drive unit. The distal end of the swivel arm may be telescopable so as to permit the swing trainer apparatus to be moved from side to side of the player as well as away and toward that player while the player is attempting to swing the bat, racquet, club, or stick. Depending upon the height of the swing trainer apparatus on the ground to an upper level at shoulder height would thus permit a player to play hockey, tennis, baseball, or golf swing training.
Thus, what has been shown is a unique swing trainer apparatus, which permits the individual sport player to train by himself or herself to develop muscular control and follow through in the arcuate swing of a racquet, bat, club, or stick necessary to properly play many sports. The swing trainer apparatus is adaptable to beginning level players as well as seasoned veterans, by adding or removing parallel rows of downwardly supported web members of elongated flexible material from the support rods extending across the frame. Articulation of the swing trainer apparatus by an overhead support mechanism permits a random motion to the swing trainer apparatus, thus additionally training the player in foot movement and concentration in addition to the swing follow through.
The invention thus comprises a swing trainer apparatus for the teaching of a sport player the follow-through of a swing to hit a ball or puck. The swing trainer apparatus comprises a supportable frame and a plurality of webs supported from said frame, the webs defining a swing zone through which the player must fully and forcefully swing to practice and improve that swing. The webs are comprised of an elongated flexible material. The frame includes a plurality of support rods extending thereacross and wherein the webs of material are distributed thereon in a spaced-apart manner. The support rods are arranged across the frame in a parallel and spaced-apart manner. The support rods may be removably replacable in the frame. The webs may be selected from the group comprised of: strips of plastic, strips of woven material, rope and leather or the like. An arrangement of overhead support lines are attached to the frame for supporting the swing trainer apparatus from a ceiling or an overhead support. The overhead support may be movable to provide a moving target into which a player may swing. The overhead support may comprise an articulable arm which is swingable about an arc, up and down and left and right to provide the swing trainer apparatus as a movable sweet-spot target.
The invention also comprises a method of improving the swing and follow-through of a player using a bat, racquet, club or stick against a ball or puck. The method may comprise the steps of arranging a three-dimensional array of web members supported by a frame, which web members provide a sweet spot target, and swinging at the sweet spot of the web members by a holder of the bat, racquet, club or stick, to teach the holder to swing and follow all the way through the array of web members. The method may include the steps of: adding a row of web members to the array of web members supported by the frame, removing a row of web members from the array of web members supported by the frame, changing the physical characteristics of adjacent web members supported on the frame to impart different resistance to a swing through the web members, moving the frame supporting the web members so as to provide a moving sweet spot target to the holder of the club, bat, racquet or stick. The frame may be supported on an articulable arm member arranged to be swingable so as to provide movement to the webs.